Cello Playing in 19th Century Italy

THE MOST important
epoch of Italian violoncello playing came to a close with
Boccherini. His early withdrawal from his native land caused a
loss all the more sensibly felt because there was no one of equal
importance to compensate for him in the further development of
the art, from the point to which he had attained both in its
executive and productive aspect. This task fell principally to
Germans, French, and Belgians, whilst Italy was deprived of the
position of pre-eminence in regard to violoncello playing which
she is asserted to have held for a long time in the previous
century. The same phenomenon consequently was repeated here as in
regard to violin playing.

Already
towards the end of the eighteenth century Art, and especially
instrumental music, in which the Italians had accomplished so
much that was praiseworthy, fell into decline on the Apennine
Peninsula-although Italy brought out some important productions,
particularly in the department of opera compositions. The Musical
Almanack for Germany, of 1783, contains the correspondence of an
anonymous German artist who travelled in Italy in the year 1782.
It is there said: "At Naples I found in the Conservatoire (
In the last
century there existed in Naples four Conservatoires. But in 1806
they amalgamated into one musical Institute. )
a veritable horror.
Caffaro (
Caffaro, opera and
church music composer, was Director of the Neapolitan
Conservatoire dell& Pieti. Milico was then famous as a stage
singer. )
is here with Milico, whose music gave me the
most pleasure. As for the rest it is all miserable, heavy, modern
Italian opera music, as well as in the churches. I hoped to find
a great deal at Venice, but it is no better there. Above all, the
execution in the whole of Italy is less good than formerly. . . .
But what astonishes me most is the extraordinarily little
appreciation of music in Italy now. It is almost a miracle to see
people of position who have a love of music. It created a great
sensation when we gave concerts in Rome which were frequented by
sincere admirers and friends. Instrumental music is at such a low
ebb that it is almost beneath any criticism."

At the
beginning of the present century things were not changed in this
respect. Louis Spohr, who was in Italy in 1816, expresses himself
in his autobiography concerning the condition of music there much
in the same manner as the anonymous writer cited above, and, a
little later, Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy likewise.

Under these
conditions it cannot excite surprise if Italy in consequence did
not produce so many representatives of violoncello playing in the
highest sense of the word as hitherto.

LUIGI
VENZANO
must be mentioned as
one of the first distinguished Italian cellists of this century.
He was born in Genoa about 1815, and was solo cellist in the
orchestra of the Theatre Carlo Felice, as well as teacher at the
musical institute of his native town. He died on January 27, 1878.
As a composer he devoted himself to vocal and stage compositions.

An
incomparably more important player than the preceding artist, or
his countrymen to be subsequently mentioned, is
ALFREDO PIATTI,
born at Bergamo on
January 8, 1822, and not in 1823, as Fetis says. His father, who
died on February 27, 1878, and who early instructed him in music,
was not a singer but a violin player. The boy soon decided for
the violoncello, on which he received his first lessons from his
great uncle, Zanetti, who was engaged as music master at Bergamo.

Later he was
sent to Milan for the benefit of the Conservatoire. Here the
excellent violoncellist, Merighi, conducted his further education.
Piatti attended the above-named Institution until September, 1837,
after having appeared previous to this date at one of the
concerts with decided success. In April, 1838, he gave a concert
of his own in the Teatro della Scala, at Milan, with the profits
of which he supplied himself with the means of undertaking a
concert tour. Soon after he was heard very favourably at Venice
and Vienna. In the latter town he remained some time; then he
returned to Italy and gave concerts at Milan and Padua. In
1843 he went to Munich and joined in a concert with Liszt
there. In the following year he presented himself at Frankfort-on-the-Maine,
Berlin, Breslaw, and Dresden, when he afterwards visited Paris.
In 1845 he was in St. Petersburg, where his performances met with
unusual appreciation. Having returned to Milan, the post of
teacher was offered to him, in 1846, at the Conservatoire. He did
not, however, accept the offer, but established himself in the
same year in the English capital, which from that time he has
only left occasionally, either to undertake concerts or journeys
to recruit his health. In London he soon became one of the most
distinguished aitistic celebrities, and he still remains in full
favour with the public. His performances are proportionably
marked by fine tone, the greatest purity, tasteful rendering, as
well as by a perfect mastery of all technical difficulties. He is
not only the most important cellist in England, but belongs
altogether to the highest rank of artists of the present time. He
wrote for his instrument two Concertos (Op. 24 and 26), a
Concertino (Op. 18), a "Fantasia romantica,"Capriecios
(Op. 22 and 25),
it "
Sersnade Italienne" (Op. 17), "Airs
Baskyrs" (Op. 8), as well as a long list of other works,
consisting of Themes with variations and drawing-room pieces of
various kinds. Further he has brought out new editions of old
cello compositions and six Sonatas by Boccherini. He has also
published original songs with violoncello obbligato.

Two other
pupils of the Milan Conservatoire are
GUGLIELMO QUARENGHI
and
ALESSANDRO PEZZE.
The first, born on
October 22, 1826, in Casal Maggiore, was pursuing his studies
during the years 1839-1842. Arrived at maturity he was first
violoncellist at the Teatro della Scala, at Milan, and from 1851
he gave instruction also at the Conservatoire to which he was
indebted for his education. In February, 1879, he took the place
of Boucheron as Choirmaster at the Cathedral. He enjoyed this
position only a few years, for he died February 3 or 4, 1882.
Amongst his compositions the most noteworthy are-Six Capricios, a
"Chant elegiaque," with piano accompaniment; two
Romances, a Scherzo, "Un pensiero al lago," and some
Fantasias on Motifs from Italian operas.

ALESSANDRO
PEZZE, born 1835, at Milan, received from his father, a clever
dilettante, his first musical instruction, after which, in 1846,
he went to the Conservatoire of his native town. Merighi directed
his violoncello studies. After he had been for some time first
cellist at the Teatro della Scala, he was engaged by the English
impresario, Lumley, for Her Majesty's Theatre in London. Pezze
belonged to it until 1867, in which year the theatre was
destroyed by fire. Later this artist was employed in the
orchestras of the Philharmonic Society and Covent Garden. He is
still living in London.

The Naples
Conservatoire produced GAETANO BRAGA, born on June 9, 1829, at
Guilianuova in the Abruzzi. He was originally destined for the
church, but the inclination for music came out so strongly that
he could not be kept back from it. His parents now wished that he
should be educated as a singer; he, however, decided for the
violoncello, on which Gaetano Ciandelli directed his Studies. He
soon became a pupil of Mercadante for composition. In the year
1852 he had finished his studies at the Conservatoire. Soon after
he undertook a concert journey to the North of Italy, and from
thence to Vienna, where he formed a connection with Mayseder, and
was a member of his String Quartet for a short time. In 1855 he
betook himself to Paris, where he was much in request as a
favourite solo player. He is at present living in Florence. As a
composer Braga devoted himself by preference to stage
compositions. For the violoncello he only wrote a Concerto, and
some smaller pieces with piano accompaniment, and a Serenade for
voice with cello acconipaniment.

Other
Italian violoncellists at the present time worthy of notice are--RONCHINI
and G. MAGRINI in Milan,
PINI
in Venice, SERATO in Bologna, TOSCANINI in
Parma, SBOLCI and CASTAGNOLI in Florence, FURINO in Rome, CENTOLA
in Naples, MONTECCHI (who lives at present at Rennes in Bretagne
as a music teacher), and MATTIOLI now in Cincinnati.
(
In spite of every
effort, I have not succeeded in gaining any more details
concerning the above violoncellists.)